antitrust

China's State Administration for Industry and Commerce (SAIC) is demanding a "written explanation within 20 days" from Microsoft over queries about Windows and Office compatibility. Earlier this month, the Chinese government launched an antitrust investigation into Microsoft centred around the bundling of Internet Explorer and Windows Media Player with the Windows operating system.

After raiding Microsoft's offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chengdu last month due to issues with "compatibility, bundling and document authentication", Chinese regulators are now targeting the Redmond-based giant's web browser and media player.

The Nokia-Microsoft deal is marching steadily to a conclusion as being approved by the United States, the European Union, and of course, Nokia's shareholders. However, China is still reluctant to give its word. Recently China's Ministry of Commerce has started a second round of probes into Microsoft's acquisition case. This time the government has a new emphasis: antitrust.

A group of companies led by Microsoft are calling on European authorities to launch an antitrust investigation into Google. The motion behind the move is the search giant's hold over the mobile industry with Google services on smartphones.

The group (called FairSearch) of 17, which includes Nokia and Oracle claim that Google is acting immorally by giving away the Android mobile operating system to OEM partners with the requirement for its software and service applications (Google Maps, YouTube, etc.) to be installed and prominently displayed.

This one has been brewing for a while and it seems that the rhetoric is now stepping up as Microsoft and Google prepare to do battle. The stage has been set and much of the coming drama will focus on Windows Phone.

Microsoft has today written publically about Google’s direct refusal to open up YouTube access so that Windows Phone users can easily use the service when mobile, something we first reported back in March 2011. The plot thickens when we learn that Microsoft has a high quality YouTube app ready to release. Don’t be evil, read on past the break to find out more.